Culvert joint



y 2, 1930. J. P. DOLAN 1,771,167

CULVERT JOINT Filed Nov. 1928 Y W I 2206116011 mm. a I 11 |n a QQ,..(Q@H u i MUM M fll flUMllh By 7 a,.

Patented July 22, 1930 UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE JAMES P. DOLAN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO PENN METAL comm, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS 'cunvnnr JOIN'I."

Application filed November 5,1928. Serial No. 817,140.

This invention relates to means for securing together the assembled sections of sectional hollow structures, and especially, although not exclusively, to means for forming joints between the sections of corrugated sheet metalculverts and the like.

The invention has for its object to provide a bolted joint between the sections of such a structure, which joint can be conveniently made wholly-from the exterior of the structure without-requiring access to the interior thereof, the bolts or equivalent fasteners being inserted from the exterior and being thereafter automatically held in such position as to facilitate the completion of the joint from the outer side.

' To this end the invention contemplates the employment of bolts having T-shaped heads whichare inserted from'the exterior of the structure through registering slots in the overlapping edges of the sections and thereafter turned crosswise of the slots, said structure having internally thereof elongated concave portions arranged transversely of the slots in sucha manner as to receive the heads of the bolts and hold the latter against turning during the application of the nuts or other fastening means to the outer ends thereof. In applying the invention to a corrugated sheet metal culvert or similar structure, the corrugations are utilized for the purpose of providing seats for the T-heads of the bolts, the slots being formed at points where the corrugations are concave inwardly and being disposed transverse to said corrugations. I v The invention will best be understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it being recognized, however, that the particular construction described and shown has been chosen for purposes of exemplification merely, and that the invention, as defined by the claims hereunto appended, may be otherwise embodied without departure from the spirit and scope thereof. y

In said drawings: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portion 5u of a sectional corrugated sheet metal cul- Fig. 5 is a side elevation, on a reduced scale, of the completed culvert, illustrating the relationship of the sections.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings is shown a culvert comprising a plurality of substantially semi-cylindrical sections composed ofcorrugated sheet metal with the corrugations running circumferentially of the culvert. The sections include a series of upper sections 10 and a series of lower sections 11, the contiguous sections in each series overlapping one another at their ends by an amount corresponding to the width of one corrugation, and the joints between the sections of the several series being preferably staggered. as shown in Fig. 5. The lower edge portions 12 of the sections 10 overlap the upper edge portions 13 of the lower sections 11, said edge portions 13 being preferably offset to form shoulders 14 on which the edges of the portions 12 are seated.

In accordance with the present invention, the overlapping portions 12 and 13 are secured together by bolts 15 having T-shapedheads 16 which are insertable through registering slots 17 formed in said overlappmg portions, at points where the corrugations are concave inwardly, and disposed transverse to said corrugations. In applying each bolt, the head 16 thereof is inserted from the exterior of the structure through the slots 1:7, as indicated in Fig. 2, after which the bolt is turned through an angle of to bring the head 16 into itsnormal or operative position transverse to the slots and parallel tothe length of the corrugations, as shown in Fig. 3. Thereafter the bolt is drawn outwardly to seat the head 16 in the trough or elongated concave portion formed by the corrugatiomwhich engagement serves to hold the bolts against turning during the completion of the joint. The outer ends of the bolts are provided with washers 18 and nuts 19, each washer 18 being interposed between the corresponding nut and the outer face of the structure,- being of a sufl icient size to cover and close the slots 17, and being preferably curved to fit the exterior of the corrugations. The joint is completed by turning up the nuts 19 to clamp the overlapping edges of the sections tightly between the heads 16 and washers 18, the bolts be- .ing automatically held against turning during this operation by engagement of the heads with the troughs of the corrugations as above explained.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim:

1; A sectional hollow structure having interiorly thereof elongated concave portions and composed of overlapping sections formed with registering slots communicating with said concave portions and disposed transverse to the length thereof, bolts having T-shaped heads insertable through said slots but normally disposed transverse thereto at the interior of the structure, said bolts being held against turning by engagement of said heads in said concave portions, and means cooperating with the outer ends of said bolts for securing said sections together.

2. A sectional hollow structure having interiorly thereof elongated concave portions and composed of overlapping sections formed with registering slots communicating with said concave portions and disposed transverse to the length thereof, bolts having T-shaped heads insertable through said slots butnormally disposed transverse thereto at the interior of the structure, said bolts bein held against turning by engagement ofsai heads in said concave portions, nuts on the outer ends of said bolts, and washers on said bolts between said nuts and the outer face of said structure and closing said slots.

3. A sectional culvert or the like composed of corrugated sections having overlapping edges formed, at points where the corrugations are concave inwardly, with registermg slots disposed transverse to said corrugations, bolts having T-shaped heads insertable through said slots but normally disposed transverse thereto at the interior of the structure, said bolts being held against turning liy engagement of said heads in the troughs ormed by said corrugations, and means cooperating with the outer ends of said bolts for securing said sections together.

edges formed, at points where the corrugations are concave inwardly, with registering slots disposed transverse to said corrugations, bolts having T-shaped heads insertable through said .slots but normally disposed transverse thereto at the interior of the structure, said bolts being held against turning by enga ement of said heads in the troughs formed by said corrugations, and means cooperating with the outer ends of said bolts for securing said sections together.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

' JS P. DOLAN.

4. A sectional culvert or the like composed of corrugated sections having overlapping edges formed, at points where the corrugations are concave inwardly, with registering slots disposed transverse to said corrugations, bolts having T-shaped heads insertable through said slots but normally disposed transverse thereto at the interior of the structure, said bolts being held against turning by engagement of sald heads in the troughs 

